Is Rooney the Leader Manchester United expect him to be?

Manchester United fans must have breathed a sigh of relief when the final whistle blew against West Ham on Saturday. Manchester United held on to a 2-1 lead playing with ten men just week after they had surrendered a two goal lead to newly promoted Leicester City and lost 5-3. It could have been a repeat performance and that too in front of a huge home crowd at Old Trafford. This could have happened all thanks to their captain Wayne Rooney. Wayne Rooney scored a beautiful first goal against West ham after some good work by Rafael down the right flank. It looked like a great day for Manchester United when Robin Van Persie doubled their lead. West Ham came back into the game a bit after scoring from a corner but Manchester United looked more than comfortable and on their way to a win. Rooney then in a moment of madness lashed out at Stewart Downing to stop a counter attack. Many players take one for the team when they do a professional foul to stop a counter attack and take a yellow card but what Rooney did was totally inexplicable. He lashed out at Stewart Downing’s knee when he could easily have clipped him and stopped the counter attack. It could be termed as a violent attack which was not needed at all. Referee went for straight red card and United went down to 10 men.
Manchester United somehow held on to the lead and won the game. This leads to the question of whether LVG made a mistake in giving the captaincy Rooney who is known to be hot headed and this was not the first time that he had shown it. He has got a history of getting booked due to momentary hot headedness and even had punishment for swearing into the television cameras. Due to the straight red card he won’t be available for the most important games against Everton, West Brom and Chelsea. Manchester United would be without their captain for the most important games due to a momentary lapse by Rooney. Does this set a good example in front of the younger players and many new players that have come to Manchester United this season. The younger players look upto the senior players and especially the captain for guidance and inspiration. They would be very much disappointed that their inspiration is out of the next three important games where leadership would definitely be needed. Rooney is an experienced player and it was not expected of him to do such a stupid mistake for a moment of anger. No doubt it is irritating to not be given clear handball just before the foul but it was no reason to lash out the way he did and got himself sent off. Rooney should be setting a good example to the starlets coming out of the academy who have been looking up to him to follow.
Wayne Rooney though is no doubt an inspiration on the field when you look at what he offers the team in terms of work rate and determination. His quality on the ball is itself something many people underestimate. His quick passes, perfect long balls make him a player to be feared not just by the defenders but also the midfielders as he drops into the midfield more often than not to dispossess the opposition of the ball and start a great counterattack. His goal scoring has not at all diminished even though he is playing behind the strikers as can be seen from the goal scored in the match against West Ham. The way he gives 100% wherever he is played in itself is an inspiration not only to the younger players but also to his teammates with whom he has been playing since a long time. This is the Wayne Rooney that everyone wants as a captain and not the Rooney who does something stupid like he did to get a red card and getting banned for the important matches against Everton, West Brom and Chelsea.
On one hand he is the perfect player to look upto as a captain but on the other hand he does stuff that doesn’t suit a leader at all and makes a really bad impression. If Rooney can just concentrate on removing the bad stuff out he can be the leader everyone looks to and he has the ability to become the one of the best players in the world. If he is not able to do that maybe Rooney would be better off without the captaincy